Write-in vote count wraps up election

The vice president of the Fruitport school board failed in his bid to win re-election as a write-in candidate.

The write-in votes were counted Thursday by the county's board of canvassers, and the board certified all results on Friday.

Edward Newmyer did not file with the Muskegon County Clerk's office in time to get his name on the ballot for Tuesday's election. As a result, he ran as a write-in candidate, garnering 423 votes, according to the clerk's office.

That was not enough to overcome two others seeking two four-year seats on the school board. Newcomer Ben Gillette was the top vote-getter with 801 votes and incumbent Elroy Buckner won re-election with 653 votes.

The board determined that Muskegon write-in candidate Cindy Larson received 261 votes. It will never be known how many votes the other write-in candidate, Craig Brown, received.

Brown was found dead in his home on the eve of the election, and state law dictates that votes for him not be counted, according to the clerk's office.
Larson and Charles "Chuck" Nash, the only other candidate for the two open seats on the Muskegon school board, both were elected.